No Good Deed Goes Unpunished
by Meowth's Toon Dragon
Summary: When a heroic deed from Meowth's past resurfaces and lands him and his partners in danger, can the help of a new friend keep them safe? old version, only left up for nostalgia
1. The beginning

No good deed goes unpunished  
  
Disclaimer: This fic is rated R for graphic violence, adult language, and other things that would make Sheila Broslofski say "What, What, WHAT?!?" (chuckles) But seriously, this is my first try at a chapter fic, so bear with me. While most Pokemon scripts are based on Ash and his friends, this fic is NOT! In fact, the star of this fic is.. Well, you'll see. Oh, and I don't own most of the characters in the fic. Nintendo does.  
  
The screen is black, save for a cold voice laughing. A sick, sadistic kind of a laugh.  
  
Voice: Soon. soon I'll get that freak for what he did to me!  
  
The screen is illuminated very dimly as we see a shadowy figure in a room with nothing in it but a door, bottle of vodka, a table, and a newspaper clipping on the wall filled with holes  
  
Voice: It should've been my greatest theft, my greatest kill, (shrilly) MY GREATEST FUCKING TRIUMPH!  
  
The bottle of vodka is thrown at the clipping, where it shatters  
  
Voice: He will pay for the hell he put me through! He will pay for wrecking what would've been my crowning achievement!  
  
The figure gets up and as he stands in the dim light, we see only his scarred face, which is cloaked with a look of pure hatred  
  
Figure: He.. Will.. Suffer..  
  
As the figure starts to laugh in a sick kind of way, we pan over to the other side of the door in the room, or in other words outside in a foresty setting, and see a black-haired boy, with half of his face covered by a bandana and sporting a black t-shirt and jeans, with his ear against the door of the cabin housing the room and the figure.  
  
Boy: Oh sweet jesus.  
  
We pan back to the room where we see the figure pull out a gun from his pocket and point it directly at the clipping  
  
Figure: When I find him.  
  
As he pulls the trigger, we take the bullets view and see it go into a photograph on the clipping. As the smoke from the bullet entry clears, we see that, while the article surrounding the picture is blurry, the photograph is of a certain cat-pokemon.  
  
Figure: That Meowth is history!!!  
  
As we pan back to the other side of the rooms wall and see the boy pulling his ear away from the door.  
  
Boy: (silently) I've got to warn Meowth that Harris Sythe is looking for him. Otherwise he'll turn Meowth into another one of his victims!  
  
As the boy runs off, we pan over to a little ways away where we see Team Rocket landing after another failed attempt at capturing Pikachu  
  
Jessie: (sore) Day after day, we try to capture that damn rodent!  
  
James: (sore) Yet day after day we keep getting blasted off!  
  
Meowth: (sore) With all these blast-offs, we should be in N.A.S.A.!  
  
Suddenly, the sound of footsteps approaching reaches the cat-pokemon's sensitive ears  
  
Meowth: Hey someone's coming.  
  
Jessie: Maybe they've got pokemon on them!  
  
Meowth: Yeah!  
  
Jessie: Quick, get behind the bushes and wait for whoever it is to pass by..  
  
Meowth: .then pounce on them and snatch their poke-balls!  
  
James: Can't we just rest here for a minute first?  
  
Jessie doesn't respond to James's question, but simply grabs him by the ear and drags him into the bushes with Meowth following close behind. Soon enough, after they get into positions, the black-haired boy from earlier comes running through and is pounced upon by Meowth.  
  
Meowth: (in mid-flight) Give us your pokemon!!!  
  
Boy: (turning around and seeing the Meowth fly towards him) What the.  
  
The boy is knocked to the ground as Meowth collides with his body  
  
Boy: (scared) What's going on???  
  
Meowth: I said give us your pokemon!!  
  
The look on the boy's face (or what we can see of it anyway) turns from a look of shock to one of delight  
  
Boy: It's you!  
  
Meowth: (clearly puzzled) Huh??  
  
Boy: You're the Meowth who saved me all those years ago!  
  
Meowth: (sweatdrops) I don't know what you're talking about kid.  
  
The boy reaches into his pocket and pulls out a newspaper clipping  
  
Boy: Maybe this will remind you.  
  
Meowth takes the clipping from him and starts reading it. As he does, a shocked expression starts to form on his face.  
  
Meowth: No. This is a joke, right?  
  
Boy: (starting to undo the bandana) Does this look like a joke to you?!?  
  
As the bandana falls off the boy's face, we see Meowth gasp and almost get physically sick at the sight of the boy's face.  
  
Meowth: (gagging) My god.  
  
We pan to the boys face now and see that, along with sporting a scar above his left eye, he's got no nose at all, just scarred skin between his eyes and mouth.  
  
Boy: Now do you remember?  
  
As Meowth nods, the sight of the boy's disfigured face becomes too much for him to stomach, and he vomits at the boy's feet, dropping the clipping beside him. Jessie and James come out of the bushes and see Meowth in front of the boy  
  
Jessie: Meowth what's taking so long. (sees him sick) What is with you?  
  
James: Yeah, you never get sick on missions!  
  
Boy: It's me that's making him ill.  
  
James turns to the boy with a quizzical expression on his face.  
  
James: And you are...  
  
Boy: My name is Josh Taylor, and I owe my life to your Meowth.  
  
James: Ok. (turns towards Jessie and points at Josh while making the "cuckoo" gesture)  
  
Jessie: How exactly do you owe your life to Meowth?  
  
Meowth, who's finally stopped throwing up, catches his breath and hands the clipping to Jessie  
  
Meowth: (groans) This article explains it all.  
  
Jessie takes the clipping from him and starts to read it.  
  
Jessie: (reading the article) (out loud) Murderer caught thanks to talking Meowth. (continues to read it silently with James looking over her shoulder)  
  
Jessie lowers the article and stares at Meowth with a strange look on her face  
  
Jessie: Is this true, Meowth?  
  
Meowth takes a deep breath, wipes his mouth off with the back of his paw, and says.  
  
Meowth: Yes. yes it is.  
  
James and Jessie look at Meowth shocked  
  
James: (sputtering) but, but how???  
  
Meowth: It all happened like this..  
  
TO BE CONTINUED  
  
A/N: Ok, so not a lot of action or plot in the first chapter, but consider it a pilot chapter. Trust me, it'll get better in the later chapters. 


	2. A courage never seen before

No good deed goes unpunished  
  
Disclaimer: This fic is rated R for graphic violence, adult language, and other things that would make Sheila Broslofski say "What, What, WHAT?!?" (chuckles) But seriously, this is my first try at a chapter fic, so bear with me. While most Pokemon scripts are based on Ash and his friends, this fic is NOT! In fact, the star of this fic is.. Well, you'll see. Oh, and I don't own most of the characters in the fic. Nintendo does.  
  
Recap: In the last chapter, Meowth is visited by three ghosts who. Hold on, wrong story! (sounds of papers being shuffled) Ok, here we go.  
  
Real Recap: In the last chapter, Meowth runs into (or rather pounces into) a boy claiming that Meowth saved his life. Imagine Jessie and James's shock when Meowth says the boy's claims are true.  
  
Meowth: It all happened like this..  
  
The screen starts to get all wavy like a flashback. By the time the screen stops waving, the scene's changed to back to 1 day after Meowth was dumped by Meowsie and we see Meowth walking through a town with his possessions in a bag marked "To TRHQ"  
  
Meowth (V.O.): It was only a day after Meowsie said she could never love me because I'd become a lowly freak Meowth and I was already starting to feel pretty low. With my dreams dashed like a cheap vase, I'd started my trek towards joining Team Rocket. What would happen on that day, would be something I'd never forget..  
  
At this point, the V.O. fades as we see Meowth tearfully walking through the town  
  
Meowth: (bitterly) So she thinks I'm nothing but a freak?! Well I'll show her! I'll become a star in Team Rocket. Then she'll be sorry!  
  
As Meowth walks past an old run-down house, he hears the sound of a boy crying inside. Being a little curious, he runs to the house's side window and looks inside.  
  
Meowth: (shocked) What the.  
  
We see what he's seen through the window, a bare room only holding in it a younger Josh Taylor whose hands and feet are tied up and whose face is battered and bloody and sporting a nose that's smashed beyond repair  
  
Meowth: Hey kid??  
  
Josh, hearing a voice at the window, turns towards it with tears running down his cheek  
  
Josh: (whimpering) W-w-who's there??  
  
Meowth: It's just me, Meowth!  
  
Josh: But that's impossible! Pokemon can't talk!  
  
Meowth: (sighs) It's a long story, kid. But I see you're kinda tied up at the moment.  
  
Josh: Help me.  
  
Meowth: (startled) Wha..  
  
Josh: Help me, please. I've been trapped here for 10 days! This sicko, Harris, has kept me stuck in here. He's already killed my parents, and I'm afraid he's gonna kill me too!  
  
Meowth: Good god! Why?!?  
  
Josh: Everytime I ask, he slashes me with that switchblade of his.  
  
Meowth: Well he won't get the chance to keep you stuck here any longer.  
  
Meowth jumps off the windowsill and into the room  
  
Meowth: .cause I'm gonna get you outta here!  
  
Josh smiles gratefully at Meowth as the cat-pokemon gets behind the kid and starts clawing at the ropes binding his hands. Suddenly, Josh and Meowth hear footsteps coming down the hall outside the room.  
  
Josh: Shit! It's him! If he catches you here, we're both dead!  
  
Meowth: Don't worry. I've got a plan!  
  
Just as the door to the room starts to open, Meowth ducks down behind Josh  
  
Josh: (out of the side of his mouth) That's your plan?!?  
  
The door opens and we see a man with long black hair stagger into the room, carrying a bottle of vodka and a whip  
  
Man: What's going on in here?!?  
  
Josh: (nervous as hell and stuttering like Porky Pig) N-n-n-n-noth-h-h-ing Ha-a-rris,...  
  
Harris: (leaning towards Josh) Don't sound like nothin'. Sounds like you got someone else in here!  
  
Josh: I'm the only one in here, I swear!  
  
As Josh is saying this, the scent of the liquor on Harris's breath reaches Meowth's nostrils and gags him  
  
Harris: (hearing Meowth gagging behind Josh) YOU'RE LYING!!!  
  
Josh: No, I swear I'm not!!!  
  
Harris bashes the vodka bottle against Josh's face  
  
Harris: GODDAMNIT YOU BETTER NOT BE LYING, OR I'LL KILL YOU LIKE I DID YOUR MOM AND DAD!!!  
  
Harris leaves the room, slamming the door on his way out. After the door closes, a pale-faced Meowth comes out from behind the terrified boy with a look of utmost revolt and horror on his face.  
  
Meowth: (softly) Holy shit! I've gotta get you outta here!  
  
With a determined look on his face, Meowth is able to free Josh from the ropes surrounding his hands and feet  
  
Meowth: There we go!  
  
Josh: (getting up) Thanks, Meowth! (giving him a huge hug) I owe you one.  
  
All of a sudden, the door is flung open and we see Harris standing in the doorway with a shotgun  
  
Harris: I knew it! You had someone in here all along! NOW YOU BOTH DIE!!!  
  
Meowth: Not if I can help it!  
  
Meowth leaps onto Harris and claws fiercely at his eyes, blinding him  
  
Harris: Agggghhhh! Get off of me you mangy hairball!!!  
  
Josh runs over to Harris and pries Meowth off  
  
Harris: (screaming in pain) My eyes! My eyes!  
  
Josh: What now, Meowth?  
  
Meowth: We run!  
  
Josh and Meowth climb out the window and run off as we see Harris lay on the floor clutching his bloody face  
  
Meowth: (V.O. resumes) Me and the kid ran to a nearby police station and let them know what happened. Harris was arrested for the murder of the kid's parents and I was called a hero.  
  
The screen gets wavy again as the scene changes from Harris writhing on the floor to Team Rocket and Josh in the forest  
  
Meowth: And that's what happened.  
  
Jessie and James are both spell-bound by this tale. Up until now, the Meowth they'd always known had never risked his life like that to save another human.  
  
Josh: Shortly afterwards, I had to get what was left of my nose removed because of all the damage that Harris had done to it. But that was nothing compared to having to deal with my parents being murdered!  
  
James: Wow. that's just. wow.  
  
Jessie: I guess Meowth really did save your life.  
  
Josh: Soon it may be my turn to save his, and possibly yours as well.  
  
Jessie: How so?  
  
Meowth: Yeah, Harris got locked up in a maximum-security prison!  
  
Josh: Well it apparently wasn't secure enough.  
  
Meowth: What are you saying.  
  
What Josh says next catches the 3 off-guard in a big way  
  
Josh: I'm saying. Harris escaped last night.  
  
James: (gasps in horror)  
  
Josh: And he's out for Meowth's blood.  
  
Meowth faints into James's arms while Jessie looks positively stunned  
  
A/N: Ok, so now the plot's been worked out a little bit. Hope the next few chapters are good. NO FLAMES PLEASE. I will allow constructive criticism though. 


	3. Driving into a killer's past

No good deed goes unpunished  
  
Disclaimer: This fic is rated R for graphic violence, adult language, and other things that would NEVER be shown on Pokemon. This is my first try at a chapter fic, so bear with me. While most Pokemon scripts are based on Ash and his friends, this fic is NOT! In fact, the star of this fic is.. Well, you'll see. I must warn you, if you're feeling depressed or upset, I WOULD NOT RECOMMEND READING THE FIC RIGHT NOW! Oh, and I don't own most of the characters in the fic. Nintendo does. Also, I don't own any websites mentioned in the fic. But I don't know who does.  
  
Meowth had just fainted into James's arms and Jessie looked absolutely shocked  
  
Jessie: You mean that madman's out to kill Meowth?!?  
  
Josh: (solemnly) Not just kill him, slaughter him.  
  
Jessie and James look at Josh with a look of digust  
  
James: Slaughter him???  
  
Josh: *sighs in an annoyed kind of tone* Yes. slaughter him. You see, Harris doesn't just kill his prey, he. I can't describe it, it's just horrific. If you have a computer, I can show you reports of what he's done to his victims in the past, so you can understand what kind of monster is after Meowth. Do you?  
  
Jessie: Well we did just steal that PC from the store the other day.  
  
James: Along with a modem, scanner, webcam, cd burner.  
  
Josh: OK! OK! All that's needed is the PC and the modem. Only problem is, how do we get to your place safely?  
  
Jessie: No problem. I've got just the guy.  
  
Jessie pulls out a cell-phone from her skirt pocket and dials up a number  
  
Jessie: (talking into the cell-phone) Hello. hey, Mondo. we need a ride back to our hideout. as soon as you can get here. no, we don't need snacks at the moment. ok, hope to see you soon. (hangs up the phone)  
  
Josh: Ok, not that it's really my business, But.  
  
James: (cutting him off) Mondo's our go-to guy.  
  
Josh: (impressed that James knew what he was gonna ask) Wow, thanks...  
  
James: (turning to Jessie) But what about Meowth? He's still out cold!  
  
Jessie: Leave that to me.  
  
Jessie kneels down next to Meowth and pulls out a can of tuna from her pocket, along with a penknife  
  
Josh: (to James) How the hell's she able to carry all that stuff in her pockets! The skirt doesn't look that long!  
  
James: It's a mystery that's been on my mind for at least the last 5 minutes.  
  
Josh cocks an eyebrow towards James's direction as Jessie uses the penknife to pry open the tuna can  
  
Jessie: The scent of this tuna'll get him up in no time!  
  
James: (a little coolly) I think we figured that out when you pulled out the knife.  
  
Jessie puts the open can near Meowth's nose where the aroma of the tuna inside rouses him out of his blackout  
  
Meowth: What happened? (sees the tuna) Hey look, fish! (grabs the can and starts eating its contents)  
  
Jessie: See.  
  
James: So how long til' Mondo arrives with the jeep?  
  
Just as he says that, a green jeep starts to pull up and driving it is a brown-haired boy wearing the same uniform as Jessie and James  
  
Jessie: I'd say a few microseconds. (waves to the driver) Hey Mondo!  
  
Mondo climbs out of the jeep and walks towards Jessie  
  
Mondo: Hey Jess, how's it goin'?  
  
Jessie: To be honest, I'm not sure anymore!  
  
Mondo: Huh?  
  
Josh: (clears his throat loudly)  
  
Jessie and Mondo turn towards him  
  
Josh: I'm starting to get the feeling you guys aren't taking this seriously.  
  
Jessie: It's hard to believe, alright?!? I mean this Harris guy may not even exist!!!  
  
James: Um.. Jess? We saw the clipping remember?  
  
Jessie: (calming down) Right.  
  
Mondo: So shall we get going?  
  
Josh: YES! LET'S GO FOR GOD'S SAKE!!!  
  
Mondo steps back, a little shocked by the stranger's outburst, and the sudden realization of the stranger's disfigurement  
  
Mondo: And you are.  
  
Jessie: We'll explain on the way. Alright?  
  
Mondo: Ok.  
  
Mondo gets in the jeep, followed by Jessie, Josh, and James. But Meowth just sits on the grass finishing off the tuna  
  
Jessie: Hey you mangy alley-cat! Get in!!!  
  
She honks the horn loudly, causing the cat to jump about a foot in the air  
  
Meowth: (upon landing) DON'T DO THAT!!!  
  
Jessie sighs as Meowth climbs into the jeep and the 5 of them take off. As the jeep heads off, we see a shadowy figure pop up from the bushes.  
  
*10 minutes later*  
  
Meowth has just finished telling Mondo the whole story about his saving the kid's life, with an increasingly tense look on his face  
  
Mondo: So you're saying that you actually rescued this kid from a murderer.  
  
Meowth: Uh-huh.  
  
Mondo: .and now he's out to kill YOU?  
  
Meowth: Yep.  
  
Mondo: Excuse me if I find that more than a little bit farfetched.  
  
Josh: Just wait til' we arrive at. (realizes he has no idea where the hell Jessie and James live) j-just wait.  
  
Finally, they pull up to a cabin with a mailbox out front reading Jessie/James/Meowth  
  
Mondo: Here we are! Rocket Residence! (climbs out of the jeep)  
  
Meowth: Thank god, I gotta use the litter box so bad! (jumps out of the jeep, opens the front door, and runs into the cabin)  
  
James, Josh, and Jessie climb out slowly and enter the cabin  
  
Josh: (looking around for the computer) Hmm.. Nice feng-shui arrangement. (sees the computer over by a table and sits down in a chair in front of it) Ah, here we go! Everybody gather around!  
  
Mondo, James, and Jessie sit down by Josh  
  
James: Well what are we waiting for?  
  
Josh: For Meowth to finish up with the litter box.  
  
Soon enough, Meowth comes out of the bathroom and sits down by James. Josh turns on the computer and, after it loads up, gets onto the internet  
  
Josh: Now I must warn you all, these reports are NOT pretty. So if you have weak stomachs, I'd suggest either looking away, or getting a barf bag handy.  
  
Jessie pulls out 5 paper bags and hands them to everyone  
  
Josh: Ok. (typing in the address) www.killerarchive.com (waits for the site to come up and then resumes typing) Harris Sythe.  
  
As the 5 look on, they see a whole set of links to reports concerning Sythe's crimes  
  
Mondo: (clicking on one link, then recoiling as the report comes onscreen) OH DEAR GOD!!!  
  
We see on the monitor that the report reads that one of his victims was found cut in half  
  
James: (clicking on another link quickly, then stares in shock at the newly- appearing report) My. god..  
  
This report says that another victim was found full of stab wounds  
  
Meowth: (looking very green at this point) What kind of man would do these things?!?  
  
As they click on report after report, they see that Harris has used countless and horrifying ways to kill his victims. After one such report, telling how he used his switchblade to disembowel one of his victims, Meowth hurls into his paper bag, which James looking like he's about to  
  
Jessie: This guy's not a killer. He's a fucking devil!!!  
  
Josh: (getting more and more uneasy) One last report, one that'll prove that Meowth helped me escape from his clutches. (clicks on a link)  
  
As the report comes up, the 5 of them look in shock at the screen  
  
Jessie: It can't be.  
  
James: There's no way.  
  
The report tells about how Harris escaped his prison, and tells who helped put him in jail in the first place, namely Josh and Meowth  
  
James: So it's true.  
  
Josh: Yep. (shuts down the computer) It's all true.  
  
Meowth: Then that means. my life really is in danger!!!  
  
Meowth faints right out of his chair and as Mondo tries to revive him. Jessie just looks at Josh with a scared look on her face  
  
Jessie: So this guy's out for Meowth's head?  
  
Josh: I'm afraid so. But Meowth saved my life once before.  
  
As Josh says this, he reaches in his pocket and pulls out a magnum  
  
Josh: .and now it's time I protect his! By any. means. necessary!!!  
  
TO BE CONTINUED  
  
A/N: Ok, so not the best chapter, but I'm working on it! Please review. 


	4. Protection and terror in a simple packag...

No good deed goes unpunished  
  
Disclaimer: This fic is rated PG-13 for graphic violence, adult language, and other things that would NEVER be shown on Pokemon. It used to be R, but because of certain defaults, I've felt it necessary to change that. This is my first try at a chapter fic, so bear with me. While most Pokemon scripts are based on Ash and his friends, this fic is NOT! In fact, the star of this fic is.. Well, you'll see. I must warn you, if you're feeling depressed or upset, I WOULD NOT RECOMMEND READING THE FIC RIGHT NOW! Oh, and I don't own most of the characters in the fic. Nintendo does. Also, I don't own any websites mentioned in the fic. But I don't know who does.  
  
Jessie, James, and Mondo are staring in shock at the gun that Josh has just unveiled  
  
Jessie: (shocked) Where the fuck did you get that???  
  
Josh: (casually twirling the gun around his finger) This ol' thing? Ever since I got out of Harris's grasp, this has been a constant companion of mine. (noticing the horrified looks on the faces of the 3 humans before him) But don't worry, I only use this on people who attack my friends or me.  
  
Mondo: Then thank god we're on your side.  
  
Slowly, Meowth rouses out of his blackout  
  
Meowth: Wha. huh??? (seeing the gun for the first time) Aaahhhh! Get that away from me!  
  
Josh: Relax, the bullets in this aren't meant for your head. they're for that faggot Sythe!  
  
Meowth breathes a weak sigh of relief as Josh puts the gun back in his pocket  
  
Josh: So now do you understand the situation? The danger this guy can impose is very, very real. (bitterly) After all, look what he did to me.  
  
Jessie: So why are you protecting us? Because Meowth did you a favor long ago?  
  
Josh: It's more than that.. Harris Sythe is a sick, sadistic man. NO ONE should have to suffer at his hands!  
  
James: Quick question. Why does he kill?  
  
Everyone turns to James with "you-can't-be-that-naïve" looks on their faces  
  
Josh: *sighing* How the hell should I know? For that matter, do you really WANT to know???  
  
James: No.. I guess not.  
  
Mondo: (getting up) Listen, I'd better go. It's starting to get a little late. (turns towards James) Mind going with me for the ride?  
  
James: I don't know.. (gets up) If Harris is out there..  
  
Josh: (reaching in his pocket) Then take this..  
  
Josh pulls out a pistol and a handgun and hands them to Mondo and James  
  
James: (surprised by the kind gesture) Josh..  
  
Josh: It's not much, but it should help keep you two safe for the time being.  
  
Mondo: I guess you really are on our side. (turns to leave)  
  
James: Wait.  
  
Mondo: (turns back towards James) Yeah?  
  
James hands Mondo the pistol he got from Josh  
  
James: Take this. I'm staying here.  
  
Mondo: (appreciative, but puzzled) Ok, suit yourself. (to Jessie and Meowth) I'll call you guys as soon as I get back to HQ.  
  
The boy walks out the door and, with one last wave to his friends, drives off  
  
Jessie: (closing the door) So what now? Meowth's got a bodyguard. What are we supposed to do?  
  
Meowth: We could go after that twerp's Pikachu again. With Josh's added muscle we may just get it this time.  
  
James: But we already tried that once today. Besides, I'm starving.  
  
Josh: Now that you mention it, (stomach growls), I'm kinda hungry myself. (blushes out of embarrassment for his rude belly)  
  
Jessie: Fine! I'll just order something! (gets up to dial in for some pizza, but realizes one major flaw.) Shit, I forgot! We've got no cash!  
  
Josh: Don't worry. (pulls out a wallet from his back pocket) This meal's on me.  
  
Meowth: Ah! My favorite kind of meal. A free one!  
  
The 4 of them share a chuckle over the joke before Jessie pulls out her cell phone and dials the number of the nearby pizzeria  
  
*30 minutes later*  
  
Everyone's chowing down on the just-delivered pizzas and sipping soda pop  
  
James: (taking a bite of his pepperoni slice) So Josh, (swallows) what exactly do you do for a living?  
  
Jessie: Yeah, that was a lot of cash I saw in that wallet.  
  
Josh: I don't have a job. All my money is from my parents' inheritance.  
  
Meowth: Really? How much did they leave you? (takes a bite of his slice of cheese pizza)  
  
Josh: (softly) About $500,000..  
  
As soon as Josh says the amount of the inheritance, three things happen; Jessie claps her hands to her mouth in surprise, James nearly inhales the straw from his soda, and Meowth starts choking on the bite of pizza he just took  
  
James: FIVE HUNDRED THOUSAND DOLLARS?!?  
  
Jessie: (patting Meowth hard on the back) That's not pigdey feed! So where is it?  
  
Josh: Back with the lawyer, I only took about $200. I told the lawyer to do whatever the hell he wants with the rest.  
  
Jessie gives Meowth one more hard pat on the back, helping him swallow the bite of pizza, as James looks at Josh like he'd just said he was Ash's father  
  
James: (puzzled) But, but why?  
  
Jessie: It's sad that you lost your folks, but at least they left you a little something!!!  
  
Josh stands up with a pissed off look on his face. Clearly, Jessie has hit on a sore spot  
  
Josh: (livid) You think that money will help take away the pain that asshole put me through?!? He took away my parents!!! He robbed me of the only people I ever cared for!!! I couldn't bear to take any of my inheritance, knowing how it'd have been given to me!!! THAT FUCKING BASTARD STOLE SOMETHING A LOT MORE IMPORTANT THAN MERE MONEY FROM ME! HE ROBBED ME OF THE REST OF MY FUCKING LIFE!!!  
  
Right after he says all this, tears start to appear in his eyes as he sits back down with a speechless Team Rocket  
  
Jessie: (genuinely sorry) I-I-I'm so sorry. I didn't know.  
  
Josh: That's right. (brushes a tear away) You didn't.  
  
Meowth walks over to Josh and puts his paw on Josh's shoulder  
  
Meowth: (compassionate) Josh, don't worry. You're with friends now.  
  
James starts to hand Josh a tissue to blow his nose, but realizes he doesn't have a nose to blow in the first place  
  
James: Yeah, as long as you're protecting Meowth, you're more than welcome to stay with us.  
  
Jessie: I'm sure the boss would understand if we told him the situation. He does have a heart after all! (under her breath) How small though, I don't know.  
  
Josh: (grateful) Thanks you guys.. Don't worry, I won't ever double-cross you, I promise you that!  
  
Meowth: And we won't turn on you.  
  
James: That's a promise.  
  
Jessie: You'll always have us.  
  
Josh: (emotional) Thank you. From the bottom of my heart, thank you.  
  
All of a sudden, the phone rings and Josh, being the gentleman, offers to go pick it up. After getting Jessie's approval, he picks up the phone and listens to the receiver  
  
Josh: (into the phone) Hello... (listens to the other end laugh) Who is this? How'd you get this number?  
  
As Josh listens, the look on his face gets more and more pale. After he hears the other end hang up, he puts the phone on the hook and looks like he's gonna be sick  
  
Meowth: Josh, what's wrong?  
  
James: Yeah, you look sick!  
  
What Josh says next is quite possibly the scariest thing that Jessie, James, or Meowth have ever heard  
  
Josh: (gravely) Harris.. has kidnapped Mondo..  
  
The looks on the faces of Team Rocket are looks of sheer terror as Josh slides down the wall next to the phone and cups his head into his hands  
  
TO BE CONTINUED  
  
A/N: Please review, I'd to see a little feedback! 


	5. Bravery and determination can conquer fe...

No good deed goes unpunished  
  
Disclaimer: This fic is rated PG-13 for graphic violence, adult language, and other things that would NEVER be shown on Pokemon. It used to be R, but because of certain defaults, I've felt it necessary to change that. This is my first try at a chapter fic, so bear with me. While most Pokemon scripts are based on Ash and his friends, this fic is NOT! In fact, the star of this fic is.. Well, you'll see. I must warn you, if you're feeling depressed or upset, I WOULD NOT RECOMMEND READING THE FIC RIGHT NOW! Oh, and I don't own most of the characters in the fic. Nintendo does. Also, I don't own any websites mentioned in the fic. But I don't know who does.  
  
Jessie, James and Meowth can't believe and don't want to believe what Josh has just told them.  
  
James: So Mondo's in that madman's clutches?!  
  
Josh: (looking up with tears in his eyes) I'm afraid so.  
  
Jessie lets out a strangled cry, then buries her head into James's shoulder, sobbing  
  
Josh: Harris said that if you guys want to see Mondo alive ever again, you have to bring Meowth down to Ripper Hall by midnight tomorrow night and give him to Harris  
  
Meowth: Ripper hall? Ain't that...  
  
Josh: Yes.. (gulps) The same place I was held captive.  
  
James: This can't be happening! It just can't!  
  
Josh: It is, I'm afraid.  
  
Meowth: I guess this means you guys have to surrender me over to that sicko! (goes to start packing) It's been nice knowing you..  
  
As Meowth leaves the room, Josh sits down on the floor looking absolutely sick  
  
Josh: I can't believe this.. This is all my fault..  
  
James: No it isn't.. You couldn't have known..  
  
Josh: (frantic) DON'T YOU GET IT! IF I HAD NEVER LET MEOWTH RESCUE ME ALL THOSE YEARS AGO, NONE OF YOU GUYS WOULD HAVE TO GO THROUGH ANY OF THIS!!! Thanks to me, Mondo's stuck as a hostage, possibly blind, mutilated, or even dead as we speak!!! If it weren't for me, none of you would be in this mess. It's all my fault!!! It's all my goddamned fault!  
  
Josh just breaks down and cries as James and a sniffling Jessie walk over to him  
  
Jessie: (shaky) You're really upset about this, aren't you?  
  
Josh: (sobbing) What the hell do you think?!? I'm responsible for you two possibly losing two of your best friends!  
  
James: (sharply) Josh, listen to me! Now's your chance to make good on your promise to be a body-guard. Harris has got Mondo held prisoner! You and Meowth are the only ones who know where Harris's lair is! It's up to you to save Mondo!  
  
Josh slowly calms down, then stands up with a look of pure determination on his face  
  
Josh: You're right. I cried enough when I lost my parents. I'm not gonna lose another friend to that son-of-a-bitch!  
  
Jessie: (more calmed down) That's the spirit!  
  
Meowth walks into the room, having heard the whole conversation  
  
Meowth: I'm not about to let you go alone! Count me in!  
  
Meowth leaps into Josh's arms and embraces him  
  
Meowth: Together, we can stop that madman once and for all!  
  
Meowth leaps out of Josh's arms and stands beside Jessie and James!  
  
James: For no one, but no one, can stop Team Rocket!  
  
Jessie: So Harris had prepare fo-  
  
Josh: No..  
  
Jessie: (startled) Huh??  
  
Josh: If you and James go, chances are someone's not gonna make it out alive. Harris is not above killing innocent victims as you've seen!  
  
James: That's a chance we'll have to take!  
  
Jessie: After all Mondo did for us, it's time we repaid him the favor!  
  
Josh: We'll if you're sure about coming along, at least get some supplies!  
  
James: We already have!  
  
Jessie and James dive into a closet and come out dressed up like assassins, black clothing, guns, etc.  
  
Jessie: We always like to be prepared for just such an emergency!  
  
Josh and Meowth just stare in awe at the two humans  
  
Josh: (to Meowth) Are they ALWAYS like this?  
  
Meowth: (to Josh) No, they're usually worse.  
  
Jessie: (overhearing Meowth's remark) Watch it, hairball!  
  
James: Jessie...  
  
Jessie: (remembering the task at hand) Right. (determined) Let's go show that freak who's boss. (races to the garage with James right behind her)  
  
Meowth: Wait for me! (races off to the garage)  
  
Josh, before he joins them, goes to the computer, turns it back on, and goes back to the page he'd been looking at before with the gang.  
  
Josh: (sighing deeply as he clicks on a link) Mom. Dad.  
  
We see that on the monitor is a report telling about Harris's last victims before Josh's rescue, namely Josh's mom and dad  
  
Josh: I may not have been able to save you two, but at least now, I can avenge your wrongful deaths at the hands of that goddamned psycho Sythe!  
  
Josh walks to the garage, opens the truck's door, gets in the driver's seat, and turns on the ignition.  
  
James: (in alarm) Josh, wait!  
  
Josh: What?  
  
James: Open the garage door first! We're still making payments on this place and we really don't want any more holes in the door!  
  
Josh presses the garage-door opener and after the door's all the way open, puts his foot on the gas and gets ready to motor  
  
Josh: Harris.. you better hope your soul belongs to Jesus, because your ass is about to belong to Team Rocket!  
  
And with those fierce words, Josh peels on out of the Rocket's hideout and the 4 of them start on their way to rescue their friend.  
  
TO BE CONTINUED A/N: Please review, I'd like to know that at least someone's reading this! 


	6. Troubled pasts and new foes

No good deed goes unpunished  
  
Disclaimer: This fic is rated PG-13 for graphic violence, adult language, and other things that would NEVER be shown on Pokemon. It used to be R, but because of certain defaults, I've felt it necessary to change that. This is my first try at a chapter fic, so bear with me. While most Pokemon scripts are based on Ash and his friends, this fic is NOT! In fact, the star of this fic is.. Well, you'll see. I must warn you, if you're feeling depressed or upset, I WOULD NOT RECOMMEND READING THE FIC RIGHT NOW! Oh, and I don't own most of the characters in the fic. Nintendo does. Also, I don't own any websites mentioned in the fic. But I don't know who does.  
  
*20 minutes later*  
  
Josh is still behind the wheel, a stone expression on his face, while Meowth sits next to him and Jessie and James sit in the backseat. Josh has been driving a little bit recklessly in his efforts to get to Mondo's aid and it's left Meowth feeling a little carsick  
  
Meowth: (green-faced) How much further is it? I feel like I'm gonna throw up.  
  
Josh: Just hang on, it's not much further to Ripper Hall. (silently) But oh how I wish it was.  
  
Jessie: Do you even have a plan once you get there?  
  
Josh: Yeah, I do. Me and Meowth'll go inside and try to find Mondo, while you two wait out here in case we need you to call 911 or to help us get the heck outta there in a hurry!  
  
Josh makes a couple of sharp turns and it becomes too much for the carsick cat-pokemon to handle  
  
Meowth: (gagging) I need a paper bag, quick!  
  
Jessie hands Meowth a paper bag and as soon as he gets it, Meowth opens the bag and hurls his dinner into it  
  
Jessie: Easy, there!!! You'll puke out an organ like that!  
  
After Meowth finishes launching his lunch into the paper bag, he opens a window and chucks it outside  
  
Jessie: Man, you can't seem to keep anything down!  
  
Meowth: Well, excuse me! When I get this nervous, I get nauseous!  
  
James: Alright, stop fighting! (nervously) Hey Josh?  
  
Josh: Yeah?  
  
James: (takes a deep breath) I'm afraid to ask, but what exactly happened between you and Harris?  
  
James instantly regrets asking the question and recoils in preperation for the inevitable explosion from Josh. But all the teen does is bitterly laugh at the question  
  
Josh: I knew it. I just knew someone would ask me that!!!  
  
James: I'm sorry..  
  
Josh: Don't be.. (sighs) You really want to know what happened?  
  
Jessie: Yeah, we do.  
  
Meowth: Yeah.  
  
Josh: (taking a deep breath) Ok. I'll tell you. on one condition.  
  
Meowth: What condition would that be?  
  
Josh: That you promise that you'll believe what I'm saying is the truth and that you won't act like I'm making the whole thing up!  
  
Jessie, James, Meowth: Deal!  
  
Josh: Ok. Here's the whole story.  
  
(the screen slowly dissolves, and comes back together not in the truck, but in a study where a silver-haired man is eagerly getting a big briefcase packed while he's surrounded by boxes)  
  
Josh: (V.O.) It was 6 years ago in hollywood.. My dad had just been given a promotion in a place called Viridian City, so him, my mom, and I were set to move up there. But little did any of us know that we'd never get the chance to move.  
  
The silver-haired man finishes up packing the last box and stands up in triumph  
  
SHM: There, finished! All set to go tomorrow!  
  
The man walks into a kitchen where a brown-haired woman and a raven-haired boy are sitting at a table sipping lemonade  
  
BHW: Are we all set, Steven dear?  
  
Steven: Sure are, Allison honey! Just got the last box packed and we're all set!  
  
Allison: Oh. this'll be so exciting, you're actually getting to be a gym leader after all these years. Your dream is coming true at last!  
  
RHB: (without enthusiasm) Yeah.  
  
Steven: What's wrong, Josh?  
  
It's at this point that it becomes clear that the family in the flashback is Josh's family  
  
Josh: I just have this feeling like something's gonna happen that'll stop us from leaving Hollywood.  
  
Steven: You're just nervous. Nothing is gonna happen!  
  
Josh: But something always does!!! Like the day before the Pokemon League tournament to which we had front row seats!  
  
Allison: (irritated) For the last time, it was not your father's fault that he threw his back out training with his Machoke! Which reminds me.. (turning to Steven) Are the pokemon all up at the new gym?  
  
Steven: (proudly) Yep, just sent the last one last night! Nurse Joy's taking of them for me until we get up there!  
  
Josh sighs resignedly and gets up from table  
  
Josh: I just know something bad is going to happen! I just know it!  
  
As Josh walks out of the room, Steven and Allison look at their son and just shrug off his moody demeanor as we skip towards that night in the bedroom of an asleep Allison and Josh Taylor and Josh's V.O. resumes  
  
Josh: (V.O.) Convinced that I was just nervous, my parents let me camp out in their room that night. Dad stayed up to get some last minute packing done. What happened next. I had prayed I'd never have happen..  
  
As Allison and Josh slumber, we pan over to the living room where we see Steven sitting on the floor, thinking about what his son said earlier  
  
Steven: What could he possibly mean by something bad is gonna happen before the move? He's always saying that! What does it mean?  
  
Suddenly the glass window behind him breaks and as he turns around he sees the barrel of a shotgun pointed at his face and as the gun is discharged into Steven's skull a voice coldly says  
  
Voice: It means you should have listened to your kid!  
  
As the holder of the gun steps through the broken window, we see that it's Harris Sythe standing over the body of Steven Taylor as Allison and Josh rush into the living room scared  
  
Allison: What was that awf.. (seeing her husband's body) (shrieking) OH GOD STEVEN!!!!!  
  
Josh: (shell-shocked) What the fuck did you do?!?  
  
Harris: The same thing I'm about to do to you.  
  
But as he fires the gun at Josh, Allison dives in front of him, taking the bullet to the chest as Josh just stares in horror as what he's just witnessed  
  
Josh: (grief-stricken) No! No! Mom, don't leave me!!!!  
  
Harris: If you want to stay alive, (puts the barrel of the shotgun against Josh's forehead) you'll keep your trap shut and follow me!  
  
Josh: (V.O.) Having no choice, I had to follow Harris back to Ripper hall. The next 10 days after that were nothing but pure hell!  
  
As a helpless Josh Taylor is led by Harris out of the house, the screen dissolves and reforms back into the interior of the truck carrying Team Rocket who is speechless  
  
Josh: After Meowth eventually freed me from Harris's clutches, I knew that I'd never be mentally able to care for my father's pokemon, so I let Nurse Joy keep them. I opted to spend the rest of my days alone instead of living with the only other living relative that the police could find of my family. The gym was torn down and a monument to my dad was put in its place. My parents were buried the day before I was freed from that madman's grasp..  
  
Josh pauses to let a tear slowly run down his face  
  
Josh: ..and that's what happened.  
  
James: Oh.. Oh my.  
  
Jessie: To think, I always though MY mom's death was traumatic!  
  
Meowth: But why didn't you want to stay with a relative instead of being all alone.  
  
Josh: Because the only other relative that they found was the most hated, most sadistic member of my family tree..  
  
James: Who was it?!?  
  
What Josh says next is a total shock to Jessie, James, and Meowth  
  
Josh: My cousin, Jessibelle Coudfeld.  
  
At the mention of the name, James screams and stares at Josh in terror  
  
James: YOU MEAN JESSIBELLE'S YOUR COUSIN?!?  
  
Josh: It unfortunately seems like you've met her too?  
  
James: Met her?? MY PARENTS WANTED ME TO MARRY THAT SADISTIC CUNT!!!  
  
Jessie: (shocked) James!!!  
  
Josh: No, that's pretty much what I think of her too. Always saying (in a mock-southern tone) "Be proper" "That's not the right way to do it" "You'll be a gentleman and like it!!!" (shudders) She's almost as bad as Harris!  
  
Jessie: Yeah.. But James was only engaged to her. You're her relative!!!  
  
Josh: (softly) Don't remind me.. (sighs as he looks out the window and sees the infamous HOLLYWOOD sign) Ripper Hall dead ahead!  
  
The truck pulls up in front of the run-down house from earlier and Meowth and Josh get out  
  
Josh: (to Jessie and James) Listen, if we're not back in 15 minutes, (hands his cell phone over to James) call the cops!  
  
James: Ok..  
  
Meowth: Don't worry, we'll be back soon with Mondo. (silently) I hope.  
  
As Josh and Meowth head inside the hall, Jessie and James look back at them in worry  
  
Jessie: I just want to get out of this neighborhood! It's just screaming "murder"!  
  
James: Don't worry, we'll be out so.  
  
Suddenly, James stops speaking and grasps the back of his neck  
  
Jessie: (frightened) James???  
  
James slowly falls unconscious into the back seat, where Jessie finds a small dart in his neck  
  
Jessie: (scared) James, what happened???  
  
A cold, southern-accented voice answers..  
  
Voice: The same thing that's gonna happen to you, you improper little whore!  
  
Jessie, knowing full well who that voice belongs to, turns around in terror and the last thing she sees before getting shot with another tranquilizer dart is the face of Jessibelle Coudfeld  
  
Jessie: (straining) Why. did you do this..  
  
Jessie collapses next to James as Jessibelle stands next to the shattered truck window  
  
Jessibelle: Because with Harris's help, I'm finally gonna make James my husband!  
  
Jessibelle starts to laugh a sick, twisted laugh as we see Jessie and James both lying motionless in the truck's backseat  
  
TO BE CONTINUED 


	7. Learning of a relative's betrayal

No good deed goes unpunished  
  
Disclaimer: This fic is rated PG-13 for graphic violence, adult language, and other things that would NEVER be shown on Pokemon. This is my first try at a chapter fic, so bear with me. I must warn you, if you're feeling depressed or upset, I WOULD NOT RECOMMEND READING THE FIC RIGHT NOW! Oh, and I don't own most of the characters in the fic. Nintendo does. Also, I don't own any websites mentioned in the fic. But I don't know who does.  
  
*Seconds after Jessibelle's attack on Jessie and James*  
  
We see Meowth and Josh creeping among the shadows of the front hall of Harris's lair, looking for the brown-haired rocket  
  
Meowth: (whispering) Mondo. Where are you.  
  
Josh can't help but cast a look of utter annoyance at the cat as he says this  
  
Josh: (whispered) Meowth, does that EVER work?!?  
  
Meowth: (ashamedly) No. Not really.  
  
As they sneak down the hall, they hear, to their horror, the sound of approaching footsteps  
  
Meowth: Shit! Someone's coming!  
  
Josh: (noticing a nearby door) Quick, in there!  
  
Josh opens the door, revealing a coat closet, and him and Meowth leap in and shut the door just as Jessibelle comes down the hallway dragging Jessie and James behind. After looking for any intruders, she steals Jessie's cell phone and dials a number into it. At this point, the camera goes into the closet with Josh and Meowth and stays there for a while  
  
Jessibelle: (softly as the phone rings) Pick up. Pick up. it's rude to keep a lady waiting on the phone!  
  
Soon, we hear the other end of the phone pick up and we hear a cold, cruel voice on the other line  
  
Voice: Did you get them??  
  
Jessibelle: (softly) Not all of them. Only the redhead and my fiancée.  
  
Voice: Shit! That means Josh and Meowth are still on the loose!  
  
Jessibelle: Don't you worry Harris, I'll get those two little brats as well!  
  
Josh, hearing Jessibelle's voice on the other side of the door, turns to Meowth with a look of terror on his face  
  
Josh: Meowth, tell me that isn't Jessibelle Coudfeld on the other side of the door. Please tell me that.  
  
Meowth: I would, but I'd be lying.  
  
Josh: (livid, but quiet) Shit! Jessibelle, that no-good traitor!!! How could she stoop THIS low?!?  
  
Harris: As soon as you find them, bring them to me! Dead or alive!  
  
Suddenly, Meowth starts getting a sick feeling in his throat  
  
Meowth: (weakly) J-josh..  
  
Josh: Yeah, Meowth?  
  
Meowth: (weakly) I think I'm getting a hairball.  
  
Josh: (panicked) What??? How at a time like this did you manage to get a hairball?  
  
Meowth: (weakly) Well I am a cat after all.  
  
Josh, knowing that if Meowth tries to cough up the hairball, Jessibelle will hear them and turn them in, searches in his pocket for a paper bag and upon finding one, places it around Meowth's mouth  
  
Josh: Take hold of this bag and start trying to get rid of that hairball as quietly as humanly, or pokemonly, possible!  
  
Meowth takes hold of the bag and starts gagging quietly into it, trying to free himself of the hairball, as Josh keeps listening to the phone conversation between Harris and Jessibelle  
  
Jessibelle: So where should I put the two that I HAVE sedated?  
  
Harris: Put them in the room with their little friend. After I get rid of the cat and the boy, I'll dispose of the redhead and the brown-haired kid and the blue one is all yours.  
  
Jessibelle: Right. Got it loud and clear Harris!  
  
With that, she hangs up the phone and tosses it over her shoulder before dragging Jessie and James down the hall. As soon as he's sure that Jessibelle is gone, he opens the door and tumbles out onto the floor  
  
Josh: (softly) This is unreal. This is just unreal! My own flesh and blood is helping my worst enemy do away with me.  
  
Josh starts to run down the hall after her, but remembers that Meowth's still in the closet, choking on that hairball. Turning back, he gets behind the cat-pokemon, places his arms around Meowth's heaving middle, and gives him a big squeeze.  
  
Josh: (in his head) I can't believe this! Three friends are in danger and I'm helping Meowth throw up a hairball. This is just my kind of luck!  
  
After one more squeeze, Meowth finally spits up the hairball into the bag and wipes the sweat off his face.  
  
Meowth: (gasping and breathing a sigh of relief) Whew! Thanks Josh.  
  
Josh: Yeah, my pleasure.  
  
Suddenly, they hear a familiar voice scream from a door down the hall  
  
Meowth: It's Mondo! I'd know that scream anywhere!  
  
Josh and Meowth rush into the room they heard Mondo's scream come from and discover him tied up to a chair with his head turned away from a motionless Jessie and James laying on the floor in front of him  
  
Meowth: (horrified) Jessie! Mondo! James! My god!!!!  
  
Josh: That bitch must've poisoned Jessie and James somehow!  
  
Mondo: (coldly) That's not all they did...  
  
As Mondo turns towards them, they recoil in horror at the sight of Mondo's mutilated face. His head is bloodied and some of his cuts are bone deep. His right eye is almost hanging out of its socket. It's all Meowth can do to keep from vomiting on the spot.  
  
Meowth: (fighting back nausea) What the heck happened to your face?!?  
  
Mondo: (sobbing) That bastard Sythe sliced my face up with a broken whiskey bottle and that switchblade of his!  
  
Josh: (remembering the scar above his eye) He'll pay dearly for all of this!  
  
Mondo: (shaky) I should hope so!  
  
Just then, they hear Jessie and James start to move. Thinking quickly, Josh tells Meowth to check on them while he unties Mondo  
  
Meowth: You sure?  
  
Josh: Yeah, I'm sure! Make sure they're ok!  
  
As Meowth runs over to Jessie and James, Josh starts to work on Mondo's knots  
  
Josh: I'm so sorry. This is all my fault!  
  
Mondo: No it isn't.. There is no way you could've known he'd do something like this!  
  
Voice: (furious) Something like WHAT?!?  
  
Hearing the cold voice, Josh and Meowth turn around and, in terror, see Jessibelle standing in the doorway holding a whip  
  
Jessibelle: Get up! NOW!  
  
Meowth: (cockily) And if we don't.  
  
Jessibelle walks over to Mondo and whips him upside the head, knocking him out cold, much to Meowth's horror  
  
Jessibelle: Let's try this again. Get up right now and follow me!!!!  
  
Left with no alternative, Josh and Meowth get up and follow Jessibelle out of the room and to a doorway near the end of the hall. Upon opening the door and revealing a windowless room stripped bare save for a single illuminated light bulb, Jessibelle shoves the two inside and ties them up with a long rope  
  
Jessibelle: Harris will be so pleased once he finds out that I've got you two right where he wants you!  
  
Josh: I never thought you could stoop so low. Why are you doing this?!?  
  
Jessibelle: Why??? Because with his help, James will finally become my husband and I'll become heir apparent to both the Morgan family fortune AND your parents inheritance!  
  
Josh: (furious) You're sick! Betraying your own family just for money! This. this is unforgivable!!!  
  
Jessibelle: (angry) That'll be enough out of you! (whips Josh across the face, leaving a long red cut across his cheek)  
  
Meowth: You'll never get away with this, you.. you harlot!!!  
  
Jessibelle: Oh but I already have! Once Harris takes out you, the boy, that brown-haired runt, and that bitch Jessie, James'll be all mine and I'll become rich beyond my wildest dreams!  
  
With that and a maniacal laugh, she walks out of the room and slams the door behind her  
  
Meowth: What do we do now???  
  
Josh: I don't know. I just don't know.  
  
Josh hangs his head down in shame as a single tear runs down his cheek  
  
Josh: Once Harris gets rid of us, there will be no stopping them from killing Jessie and Mondo and turning James into Jessibelle's prisoner.  
  
Josh lifts his tear-streaked face up  
  
Josh: (mournfully) I've let them down. I've let everyone down.  
  
Meowth can only look at him with a look of utter sorrow as he hangs his head down in defeat  
  
TO BE CONTINUED 


	8. A song and a visit of peace

No good deed goes unpunished 

Special Note: Ok, look. I know I've been a little slow lately with updating this, but a lot has happened over the past few weeks in my personal life. Anyways, I just needed a little time to let my wounds heal. Even so, this chapter I've decided to go a little easy on action and violence as a way of allowing myself to slowly get back in the swing of things.

Disclaimer: I only own Josh, Steven, Allison, and Harris. Everything else in this fic, excluding websites, is owned by Nintendo.

It's been only an hour since Meowth and Josh were tied up and left in a bare room, but to the two of them, it feels like a lot longer. Josh hasn't said a word and it's starting to get on the cat's nerves

Meowth: Josh.. JOSH!

The boy turns to him with a blank look on his face

Meowth: Look at yourself! You're giving up!

Josh: (coldly) Well, what's the point in trying anymore? We're all screwed.

Meowth: We are not screwed, I keep telling you!

Josh: Face it, Meowth. They won, we lost!

Meowth: They've won if you give up! But if you try and think of a way out of this whole mess, then maybe, just maybe, you can end up the big winner here!

Josh turns away and lets out a strangled breath, but slowly starts to get a little spark back in his face

Meowth: Are you going to let your parent's sacrifices be in vain, or are you going to do them proud and save your rescuer's life?

Josh finally starts to gain some emotion in his tear-streaked face and turns towards Meowth

Josh: Meowth, can I ask something?

Meowth: Sure.

Josh: All those years ago, why DID you help me escape from Sythe, knowing full well you could've been killed too!

Meowth: I helped you because I wanted to help you. Not for money, fame, or glory. I helped you because I didn't think, and still don't think, anyone deserves to be abused and tormented like that. Especially not someone as innocent and kind as you.

Josh gives Meowth a kind smile, one of nothing but sincere and heartfelt gratitude, which Meowth returns.

Josh: You're right, damn it you're right!

Meowth: (a little bit cockily) When am I not?

To their shock, the door is flung open and Jessibelle is standing in the doorway with a moth-eaten blanket

Jessibelle: (flinging the blanket at the two in contempt) Here!

Josh: (catching it with his tied-up hands) What's this for?

Jessibelle: Harris is too tired to finish you off tonight, so consider this your last night alive!

Jessibelle slams the door as Meowth and Josh look on in disgust

Meowth: (sarcastic) Well she's little miss happy, ain't she? How the fuck are we supposed to sleep at a time like this?

Josh: I don't know. (turning away and putting the blanket beside him) Counting pokemon?

Meowth: How the heck would that help?

Josh responds with just a deep sigh

Meowth: What? What?

Josh: (turning back towards Meowth) It's just, I remember how my mom used to sing me to sleep, in fact she did the night before the murders. She was always a great singer.

Meowth: (desperate to try and take his mind off the situation) What kind of songs did she sing?

Josh: Well I don't remember most of them. I only remember the song she sang the night before she and my dad were killed.

Meowth: Sing it to me.

Josh: (incredulous) Now? At a time like this?

Meowth: Come on, at least it'd take our minds off the current predictament. Besides, I could use a good lullaby right now.

Josh: (embarrassed) I can't. I've always been a bad singer.

Meowth: (in a coaxing tone) C'mon.. please?

Josh: Well. (giving in) Oh alright.

As he takes a couple deep breaths, Meowth scoots over to Josh and lays his head on his lap, much to the teen's bewilderment

Josh: Um, Meowth, what are you doing?

Meowth: (cutely) Just getting comfortable.

Josh chuckles then starts to sing softly to the cat-pokemon while calmly, with a little difficulty, putting his hands on Meowth's furry head

Josh: (singing in a soft tone a version of "I'll Try")

Meowth yawns and nestles his head into Josh's lap with a peaceful look on his face as the boy continues his lullaby

Josh: I'll try... to fly..

Josh stops singing and looks down to find Meowth asleep in his lap, snoring quietly with a look of calmness and serenity on his face. Not wanting to wake him, Josh, again with difficulty, picks up the blanket and slowly covers Meowth up, leaving only his head exposed. Then he looks at him sleeping so peacefully and he can't help but smile at how sweet he looks.

Josh: Look at him, even asleep he looks so gentle. (softly sighing) If only this wasn't our last night alive in this world.

A gentle soothing voice: It doesn't have to be..

Josh slowly looks behind him and when he sees who the voice belongs to, he nearly screams

Josh: (seeing who's voice it is) M-mom?

Sure enough, we see the spirit of Allison Taylor just sitting on the floor like it's no big deal and basking in an erethreal light

Allison: That's right, honey..

Josh: (VERY freaked out) Ok, it's offical. I've lost my mind!

Allison: (calmly) Calm down! I'm not here to haunt you. I'm here to tell you that me and your father are so proud of you. You're risking your life to save your friends from that madman and that traitor to the family name, that's very noble of you.

Josh: Well, after all they've done for me, what else could I do, run away?

Allison: Listen, you will escape. I know it!

Josh: But how?

Allison: Trust me, you've got the skill, bravery, and charm to get past anything. You will make it through this in one piece. Good people always do. Trust me..

Josh: If you say so..

Allison: Take care honey. Remember that no matter what happens, your parents love you.

With that, the spirit slowly dissapates until all that's left is a cold chill in the room

Josh: What did she mean by that? The skill, bravery, and.

Suddenly, Josh notices the charm on Meowth's head shine from the light bulb's sparse light and he starts to get an idea

Josh: (curious and hopeful) Charm... I don't suppose..

He rubs the rope binding up his hands against the rough edge of the charm as gently as he can as not to wake up the sleeping pokemon. Slowly, the rope starts to grow frayed, much to his delight

Josh: (rubbing a little harder) Just a little bit more..

Finally the rope falls apart, freeing his hands. With a small cry of victory, he unties the rope around his feet and the ropes binding Meowth's hands and feet too.

Josh: (chuckling slyly and looking skyward) Mom.. always with the cryptic clues..

After carefully laying Meowth down on the floor, Josh stands up and, taking the gun out of his pocket, cocks it once and looks again towards the sky.

Josh: Mom, Dad, I won't let you down again. I promise.

TO BE CONTINUED

Note: At the request of i've removed the lyrics to the song. I feel it takes away from the chapter, but they're the ones who asked me to do so.


	9. Facing a traitor and a terror

No good deed goes unpunished  
  
Special Thank you: This chapter goes out to Martial Arts Master, who helped me fix a MAJOR problem with the last chapter! Thanks again, Martial Arts Master!  
  
Disclaimer: I only own Josh, Steven, Allison, and Harris. Nintendo owns everything else in this fic, excluding websites.  
  
Josh looks at his gun with a look of primal anger in his eyes  
  
Josh: As soon as I find those son-of-a-bitches, I'm going to give them both a head like a hole!!!  
  
Walking to the door, he tries to turn the doorknob, but soon learns that it's locked from the outside  
  
Josh: (coolly) No problem. I've got my own personal lock pick.  
  
He attaches a silencer from his pocket onto the gun and starts shooting at the doorknob. After a short while, the knob becomes so bullet-ridden that it falls off the door and allows Josh to open it with great ease.  
  
Josh: Now to find those sick fucks and put an end to this once and for all!  
  
But as he starts to walk out of the room, he hears Meowth start to wake up behind him  
  
Meowth: Josh.. Where are ya going? (Looks down at his freed limbs) And why aren't I tied up anymore?  
  
Josh: Meowth, why are you up?!?  
  
Meowth: That's not the question here. I asked you where are you going???  
  
Josh: If you must know, I'm going to find Jessibelle and Harris and give them both a little present from my magnum!  
  
Meowth: Then I'm going with you! I want first crack at the both of them!  
  
Josh starts to say no but, thinking back on it, he realizes that Meowth has every right to get his paws on the two for what they've done to him and his friends  
  
Josh: (sighs) I hope this isn't a huge mistake but.. (reaches in his pocket and hands Meowth a handgun) Don't ever leave my side, got that???  
  
Meowth: (taking the gun) Loud and clear, sir!  
  
The two of them head out of the room and start to make their way down the hall, looking in and out of rooms for Harris and Jessibelle  
  
Josh: Where could they be? This isn't exactly a mansion!  
  
Meowth: Yeah, you'd think they be eas..  
  
Suddenly the cat gasps and clutches at the back of his head. Josh, hearing his pal's sudden gasp, turns around in time to see him fall motionless to the ground with Jessibelle standing over him with a tranquilizer gun  
  
Josh: (terrified) Meowth!!! (looks up and sees Jessibelle standing triumphantly over Meowth's body)  
  
Jessibelle: You should have stayed in your room, little boy.  
  
Josh: You... how could you do this?!?  
  
Jessibelle: Easily, I just crept into the closet, knowing you'd try and escape, and waited for you two to emerge from your holding cell. Now, MY friend will help me get you to Harris with anymore distractions!!! (reaches in her pocket and pulls out a pokeball) Vileplume, g.  
  
Before she can toss the pokeball, Josh puts a bullet through it, shattering it and, in effect, destroying her Vileplume as well, much to her shock  
  
Jessibelle: (momentarily stunned) My... my vileplume!!! (gets herself back together and with a tone of anger in her voice) You shouldn't have done that, I'll make sure you die a slow, painful death!  
  
Josh: You're sick, you know that!! All this talk of being prim and proper... and yet you feel it proper to team up with a sick fuck like Sythe. You should kn..  
  
Jessibelle: (spitting at Josh) I know all about his past, after all I was the one who helped him escape.  
  
This news strikes Josh very hard  
  
Josh: (strangled) Wh-what?!? You're the one who helped him escape?!?!? But why???  
  
Jessibelle: Why? Because James should be mine! He's my ticket to wealth and eternal luxury! After he got away from me the last time, I spent the rest my time looking for a way to get to him!!! Then I found out Harris and came up a plan to get rid of that slut, Jessie (she spits in contempt at the name) and make James mine, in effect making me heir to the Morgan fortune! You, that freak cat, and that runty kid were all bonuses! Besides, after all the hate your family's had of me, I was more than happy to help him get his hands on you!!! That inheritance should have been mine, not yours you little brat!!!! IT SHOULD HAVE BEEN MINE!!!!!  
  
Josh: (stunned) My god... You... you're only concerned about the money aren't you?!? (frantic and angry) YOU'D WILLINGLY KILL YOUR OWN COUSIN AND INNOCENT PEOPLE AND TURN A POOR MAN INTO YOUR PRISONER JUST TO MAKE A QUICK BUCK?!? (low) I never knew you could be so twisted! Now I do..  
  
Jessibelle: Oh give me a break, you can't tell me you wouldn't want to gain eternal happiness and wealth!  
  
Josh: If it meant taking innocent lives and hurting good people, then FUCK NO!!!!  
  
Jessibelle: You're pathetic, you can always get new friends. But to become rich is an once-in-a-lifetime chance!  
  
Josh: That's where you're wrong, you twisted little cunt! Friends are always a being's most valued possession. Not money, jewels, diamonds, or even immortality! If you have loyal friends, you're already wealthy.  
  
Jessibelle: That's a load of shit and you know it!  
  
Josh: (coldly) Now that's not proper language, is it?  
  
Jessibelle: (sputtering) But... but...  
  
Josh: You never were proper at all, were you? You were just faking it to impress James parents.. No wonder he hated you!  
  
Jessibelle: No.. I am proper!!! (shouting) JAMES LOVES ME!!!!!!!!!  
  
Josh: (fiercely) Quit kidding yourself, he never loved you at all!  
  
Jessibelle gasps in dismay  
  
Josh: (even more fiercely) Now tell me where the fuck is Harris, you traitorous little bitch, or else I'll do to you what I'm going to do to him!  
  
Jessibelle: (screeching) I'll never tell. James will be MINE!!!!  
  
Jessibelle lunges for Josh, but is met with a quick roundhouse kick right to her head, knocking her out  
  
Josh: (laughs) You're sad. You're not even worth killing!  
  
Jessibelle slowly gets into a sitting position next to Meowth's body  
  
Jessibelle: (clearly out of her mind) You can't win! No matter what you try and do, James will be my husband and I'll be the world's richest woman! I'll be in paradise!!! The world's riches will be mine!!!!  
  
Josh uses his gun to give her a single pistol-whip upside the head, sending her into unconsciousness. Then he turns to Meowth and, after pulling the dart out of Meowth's forehead, starts trying to get the pokemon to wake up.  
  
Josh: (panicked) Meowth, please wake up! Please!!!  
  
Getting no response from Meowth, Josh lets out a sorrowful moan and starts to pick up his limp body  
  
Josh: (trying not to cry) Meowth, I'm so sorry. This is all my fault.  
  
Josh cradles Meowth in his arms, leaving the handgun and vileplume's shattered pokeball behind.  
  
Josh: (very emotional) At least I can let your body be with your friends one last time.  
  
Stepping over Jessibelle, Josh heads to where the others are being kept. Once he gets in the room, he places Meowth next to a motionless Jessie and James  
  
Josh: So long Meowth... I'll never forget the brave sacrifices you and your friends made...  
  
Josh turns around and looks at Mondo, who's been battered to a point of near-death  
  
Josh: Mondo... I'm sorry, I'm so sorry...  
  
Josh frees Mondo from his confines and, after watching him collapse onto the floor, drags him over to Jessie's form  
  
Josh: (letting the tears fall freely now) I'm so sorry I failed you all, I'm so sorry...  
  
As Josh starts to cry, he hears a soft, but audible cry come from Meowth's body. As he looks up, he sees Meowth start to stir. Then, to his amazement, Meowth actually gets up and soon, Jessie starts to as well.  
  
Josh: (in shock) What the?!? Can this be??  
  
Meowth: (a little slurred) Can what be??  
  
Josh runs over to him and gives the cat-pokemon a big hug, then does the same to a slowly awakening Jessie  
  
Jessie: (a little puzzled) Josh, what the?!?  
  
Josh: I thought you guys were. were...  
  
Jessie sees Mondo's body and screams in terror  
  
Jessie: MONDO!!! (faces Josh) What happened?!?  
  
Josh: Look, (pulls out a spare cell-phone from his pocket and gives it to Jessie), you need to call 911 NOW! James and Mondo need help! You and Meowth may need it as well from whatever Jessibelle drugged you two with!  
  
Meowth: You don't need to tell us twice!  
  
Josh turns and starts to walk out of the room  
  
Jessie: But what about...  
  
Josh: I've got some unfinished business to take care of! (turns to Meowth) This time, stay here! I've got to take care of the other sicko alone!  
  
Meowth: Whatever you say, sir!  
  
Josh walks out of the room, leaving a bewildered and worried Team Rocket behind, and heads down the hall towards a door at the very end of it. Upon reaching the door, he shoots off the lock and opens it to reveal a dark staircase.  
  
Josh: Harris, you will pay DEARLY for all of this!  
  
Josh walks down the staircase and sees portraits of the remains of Sythe's past victims on the walls all the way down it  
  
Josh: (trying to avoid looking at the gruesome photos on the walls) For humanity's sake, Harris must be stopped!  
  
Soon he reaches the bottom of the stairs and, after shooting up another locked door, enters a dimly lit hall with a candlelit door at the end  
  
Josh: Well.. (walking along the hall) For Jessie.. James.. Meowth.. Mondo.. Mom.. Dad.. and everyone he's murdered.. it's time to finish this off once and for all!!!  
  
Shooting off the door's lock, he opens it to reveal a sort of candlelit torture chamber, with a guillotine, electric chair, chains, and even a rack. (A/N: One would almost think of it as Chief Irons private chambers from RE2, only a little bit more blood-stained)  
  
Josh: (appalled) My god. What kind of sick freak are you, Sythe?  
  
A cold, maniacal voice: The kind who's been waiting for this moment of revenge for a long time!  
  
As Josh looks on in horror, a figure carrying a big knife in one hand and a gin bottle in the other and wearing a black coat, and black jeans emerges from the shadows of the rack. As the figure steps into the light, we see that his black-haired face is nothing but a shallow shark grin, a demonic look in his green eyes, and a look of pure hatred. It is the face and figure of Harris Sythe.  
  
Harris: (coldly) A very, very, long time..  
  
Harris laughs in a way that could only be described as inhuman as Josh looks at him in utter disgust and hatred  
  
TO BE CONTINUED 


	10. Correcting the past's mistakes

No good deed goes unpunished  
  
Disclaimer: I only own Josh, Steven, Allison, and Harris. Nintendo owns everything else in this fic, excluding websites.  
  
Josh looks on as Harris laughs in a way that just turns his stomach  
  
Josh: (Vehemently) You... this is all because of you!!!  
  
Harris stops laughing and looks at Josh with a sneer plastered on his face  
  
Harris: No... this is all your doing. If you hadn't tried to escape my clutches all those years ago, your pathetic little friends wouldn't be..  
  
Josh: JUST SHUT UP!!! God, do you even feel at ALL remorseful for all those murders and all those poor lives???  
  
Harris: Yeah, I do.  
  
Josh: (surprised) Y-you do?  
  
Harris: Yeah, I'm sorry I didn't keep some more of their body parts as mementos!  
  
Harris cackles as Josh just looks at him, utterly sickened and shocked by this man's cruelty and apparent delight at having taken the lives of so many people  
  
Josh: That's it! It's time for you to die!  
  
But as he points the gun at Harris, Sythe, with cat-like speed, chucks his blade and bottle straight at Josh and soon he's hit with a sharp stabbing pain in his arm. Looking down, he sees Harris's knife embedded in his forearm.  
  
Josh: (looking up at Harris, grimacing) H-how???  
  
Harris: You fool, you think you're the only one who can fight around here?!?  
  
Harris reaches into his coat pocket and, after pulling out another knife, throws the knife at the gun, knocking it out of Josh's hand  
  
Harris: It's time I taught you the meaning of true pain.  
  
With that, Harris lunges at Josh and knocks him back into the wall, slugging at him fiercely. Josh shoves him away, pulls out the knife in his arm, and uses the blade's hilt to give Harris a couple good belts to the head.  
  
Josh: (with a hint of cockiness) That all you got?  
  
Harris screams and charges at him. Josh, however, nimbly steps out of the way and lets Harris run headfirst into the stone wall. Seizing the opportunity Josh runs towards his gun, but is stopped by a knife thrown at his leg. Growling in pain, he falls to the ground and tries to pull out the knife. As he pulls it out, he looks up and sees Harris with his hands full of sharp knives, poised to be thrown.  
  
Josh: Oh... shit!!!  
  
Josh dives out of the way just as the knives get stuck in the wall right behind him. Quickly grabbing back his gun, Josh ducks behind the rack, using the wooden board as a makeshift shield while he shoots at Harris. After several bullets miss Harris's head, Harris charges at him and tries to plunge a thick butcher knife into Josh's skull. But the teen is narrowly able to dodge the blade and it gets stuck into the wooden board. As he tries to get the knife loose, Josh tackles him and pins him to the ground.  
  
Josh: It's over Harris... Your reign of terror is over.  
  
Harris: Like hell it is!  
  
Harris takes his switchblade out of his coat pocket and plunges it into Josh's chest.  
  
Josh: Oh. god...  
  
Josh falls off of Harris and lays on the cold floor, gasping for breath. Harris gets up and looks down at Taylor, who's now bleeding from his chest, arm, and leg.  
  
Harris: You're pathetic, you know that, right? Risking your life to save a bunch of ungrateful little bitches.  
  
Josh: (gasping) How can you say that?!?  
  
Harris: You know, it's because of stupid, selfish people like you that I feel this path of murder necessary. This whole world's full of foolish, thick-headed, mean-spirited...  
  
Josh: (furious) SHUT THE HELL UP!!!! HOW CAN YOU BE SAYING ALL THESE THINGS?!?  
  
Harris spits at Josh's face and looks at him with disdain before giving a bitter laugh  
  
Harris: How can I? How... can... I? I'll tell you!  
  
Harris gets down into Josh's face and pulls him up by the scruff of his t- shirt's collar before continuing  
  
Harris: Every single day of my life I've had to deal with shits like you! You think just because you've got a mother's love and a father's admiration that you're on top of the world! WELL I HAD NEITHER OF THOSE THINGS!!!!!!  
  
Harris slams Josh's head to the ground at this point  
  
Harris: I've had to fend for myself, beating off people trying to take away what little I had! I've had to endure all the people saying "get a job" and "fuck off, slob". No one ever even bothering to stop and give me a bite to eat or even a comforting hand!  
  
Josh: So you took your aggression out on all those people???  
  
Harris: That's right! If I wasn't gonna be given a helping hand, I was gonna make sure the world regretted screwing Harris Sythe's life over! *sighs in a sick tone* my first kill was particularly satisfying. I remember it so well...  
  
Now Harris's face takes on a look of twisted reminisce as he kneels over Josh  
  
Harris: She was a pretty little thing, a blonde-haired beauty queen I believe, on her way to her graduation. She'd told me earlier when I asked for a bite to eat to "bite her". So I hid in the bushes near her school and, as she approached the graduation ceremony, leapt out onto her, and used my switchblade to slice her throat. Then, taking her advice from earlier, I crouched down and bit into her sweet, juicy, dimpled cheeks.  
  
Josh just looks at him, utterly revolted, as he goes into more detail  
  
Harris: From then on, I made my kills more effective, more gruesome, and more devastating to the victim's families, sometimes including the families as well in my slaughters. One victim, a kid on Christmas Eve, I climbed down his chimney, went into his bedroom, and used my blades to cut off his head and send him into an eternal sleep. Another kill, a family on a picnic, I hot-wired a steamroller and crushed them into little bits!!! Each kill more to my delight!!  
  
Josh: (silently) Jessie was right... he's not a killer, he's a fucking devil!!!  
  
Harris: I had it all going my way! I was going to become the most feared man into the world and repay mankind for all the shit I went through!!!  
  
Harris's face dons a sinister expression. One that could make even Satan tremble.  
  
Harris: Then you and that damned Meowth came along and sent me off to prison! I was sentenced to be killed! But the day before my execution, your cousin came and sprung me! I told her if she delivered me your head, I'd get her back the love of her life! What a fool, I had no intention of EVER keeping my word! After you and your friends were gone, I was gonna do away with her since she knew too much! I had it all planned out to a T!!!  
  
Josh: (scared) You.... you.. you're insane! You're fucking insane!!!! Just because the world screwed you over, you take your anger out on innocent people?!? You're mad!!!  
  
Harris: No. I'm just paying the world back! But I've already said too much. It's time for you to die!!!  
  
But as he starts to plunge a thick blade into Josh's heart, the boy uses his good leg to give Harris a kick right to his privates, stunning him and making him drop his knife. Taking hold of Harris's momentary distraction, Josh pulls the blade out of his chest and sends it into Harris's, making him stumble back into the guillotine.  
  
Harris: (gasping) What the??  
  
Josh slowly gets up and limps over to Harris, who's sitting on the edge of the guillotine's bench, trying to breathe and clutching his chest  
  
Josh: You know what the difference is between you and me? After you screwed my life up, I didn't try to massacre people to get revenge. I also wandered the country, trying to survive, but I never took my sadness out on those who didn't deserve it. I may have lost my family, but at least I didn't lose my sense of decency. I was always able to help out a stranger in need. Maybe, if you'd just asked me to give you a hand, I would've done that. (leans into Harris's face) But you decided instead to wreck the lives of countless people, and that's where you made your big mistake!  
  
Josh shoves Harris back into the guillotine's chopping block and locks his head into the stockade  
  
Josh: You know, maybe in the afterlife you'll get a little mercy. Because after what you've done in THIS life...  
  
Josh limps over to the cord holding the blade up above Harris's head and puts the barrel of the gun at the cord's center  
  
Josh: .you sure as hell ain't getting any from me!  
  
Harris: Josh... you wouldn't! Your mom and dad wouldn't want you to be a murderer!  
  
Josh: (turning his head towards Harris) Well, thanks to you... I'll never know that now, will I? You should have known that either the prison would kill you, or that I would!  
  
Josh casts a glare at Harris before saying the last 2 words that Harris Sythe will ever hear.  
  
"Goodbye, Harris"  
  
With that, Josh pulls the trigger and cuts the cord, sending the blade down onto Harris's neck and decapitating him. As he looks at the killer's headless body, he wipes the sweat off his face and turns to leave. But as he does, he looks towards the sky one more time.  
  
Josh: Mom, dad, I did it...  
  
Josh leaves the torture chamber and heads up back to where Jessie and Meowth are waiting for an ambulance to arrive for James, and Mondo. As soon as he enters the holding area, Meowth races to him and gives him a big hug  
  
Meowth: Josh, what happened?!? Where's Harris? (looking down and seeing Josh's new wounds) And what did he do to you???  
  
Josh: That doesn't matter now. I made sure he'll never get the chance to hurt anyone again. (looking at Jessie) Jess, are the paramedics on their way???  
  
Jessie: I called them about 20 minutes ago, they should be here...  
  
As she's talking, the screeching of emergency sirens fills the air  
  
Jessie: (grinning a bit) any second now...  
  
Soon James, Mondo, and Jessibelle are loaded into one ambulance and, after some guiding from Josh, Harris's head and body are put into a separate ambulance, headed for the hospital morgue, with the 3 living occupant's ambulance ready to take off for the emergency room.  
  
Paramedic: (Looking at Josh's wounds) You know, you may want to get those patched up...  
  
Josh: I know, but I want to make sure that James and Mondo are alright and that Jessibelle's taken to jail where she belongs.  
  
Paramedic: Alright, it's your decision. (turns to climb into the back of the ambulance)  
  
Jessie: (tapping at the paramedic's shoulder) Um. would it be alright if I came in the ambulance with James and Mondo, you know... for support?  
  
Paramedic: (not wanting to waste time arguing about regulations) Alright, hop in!  
  
With that, Jessie climbs into the ambulance with the others and, as Josh and Meowth watch, the ambulance speeds off towards the hospital  
  
Josh: (watching as it fades into the darkness of the late night) I can't believe it... Harris is finally dead.  
  
Meowth climbs onto Josh's shoulder and puts his paw onto the boys head affectionately  
  
Meowth: You did good, kid. You did really good. (hops off Josh's shoulder) Hey listen, I'm just gonna wait in the truck for you. Is that alright?  
  
Josh: Yeah... I guess...  
  
Meowth gets into the truck as Josh just looks in wonder at Ripper hall and thinks back to all that has happened.  
  
Josh: Goodbye, Harris...  
  
Josh gets into the driver's seat of the truck and, with the turn of the key, heads off to see to his wounded buddies and thank them for all their help  
  
TO BE CONTINUED 


	11. Starting over with a new mission

No good deed goes unpunished  
  
Disclaimer: I only own Josh, Steven, Allison, and Harris. Nintendo owns everything else in this fic, excluding websites.  
  
It was barely a week after Josh had helped free Jessie, James, Meowth, and Mondo from Harris Sythe's and Jessibelle's evil clutches and already he was getting recognition. He, Jessie, and Meowth have gotten a little party set up to celebrate James and Mondo finally getting released from the hospital after the incident and they're very excited about getting to see their friends again, but at the moment, Josh is nowhere to be found.  
  
Jessie: Are you sure he's not in the house, Meowth?  
  
Meowth: I'm sure. I've looked everywhere!  
  
Suddenly, Jessie notices that the computer's on and that a message has been left on the screen  
  
Jessie: What the... (reads the message) Meowth, look at this!  
  
The cat walks over to the computer and as they read the message, their eyes start to well up with tears  
  
Josh's Message:  
  
Dear friends,  
If you are reading this, I have gone to the Eternal Love Cemetery to give my parents a reminder that their son misses them dearly. There's a good chance I may not come back. If I don't, I just want to thank you all again for everything you've helped me get through. I'll always remember your kindness and gentle spirits. You'll all be in my heart forever. Thank you...  
  
Signed,  
Joshua Taylor  
  
The two become overcome with emotion and as they start to cry, the door opens and James (who's got a white scarf tied around his neck) and Mondo (who's now wearing an eye-patch over his right eye and now sporting several large scars on his face) come in excitedly.  
  
Mondo: We're back!  
  
James: We're better than ever!  
  
Jessie just runs into James's arms and starts crying  
  
James: (worried) Jess, what's wrong?  
  
Meowth: (sobbing) Josh is g-gone!!!  
  
Mondo: WHAT??? Where'd he go?  
  
Jessie: (crying) I don't k-k-know... I just f-found a goodbye message from him on the computer screen!  
  
Jessie leads James and Mondo to the computer, and after the two men read the message, they all just sit down on the floor looking dejected  
  
Mondo: Why, why would he leave after all this?  
  
James: (shell-shocked) Unbelievable... after all that's happened, we still lose a good friend in the end  
  
A familiar voice behind them says "And you got him back!" and as they all look at the doorway behind Mondo's back, they see...  
  
Meowth: (shocked) JOSH!!!  
  
Meowth runs into Josh's open arms and is picked up gently by the teen, who's got a calm look gracing his face  
  
Jessie: (shaky) W-w-where did you go???  
  
Josh: I had to go visit my folks and ask them what I should do about having taken a human life...  
  
James: But aren't your parents..  
  
Josh: Yeah, but that doesn't mean I can't get help from them...  
  
(as Josh says this, the screen dissolves and comes back showing Josh walking through a cemetery with a pair of red roses in his hand)  
  
Josh: (sighing deeply) Finally, I'll get the chance to visit my parents graves in peace. (looks at the roses he's carrying) Now that Harris is dead and Jessibelle's in jail, I'm free. I'm actually free!  
  
Soon the boy stops and kneels down in front of a set of headstones. As he looks at the carvings on the markers, we see that the graves are that of his parents, Allison and Steven Taylor  
  
Josh: Mom, dad. I'm sorry I haven't come to visit you much, but... I just didn't want to believe that you two were actually gone. But now that your killer is no more than a corpse, I can finally accept the fact that you two are up in heaven.  
  
Josh places a rose on Allison's grave, then places the other on Steven's grave, before wiping away a tear from his eye  
  
Josh: Mom, I know you can't hear me, but I need your advice. Harris may be gone, but I now have the blood of a human being on my hands. Should I confess to the killing or should I just run away, never to be seen again? And what about my friends, what's gonna happen to them??? If jessibelle gets out of prison, they're screwed! If it's at all possible, please give me a sign. Mom, dad, I need some sort of sign!  
  
A faint, peaceful voice says "I can give you more than that.", and as Josh looks on, a pair of transparent people start to form on top of the headstones. But this time, Josh doesn't look scared, in fact, he looks rather pleased.  
  
Josh: (looking at the now complete phantoms and chuckling) You two sure know how to make an entrance!  
  
The spirits, we now see, are that of his mother and father, who are both surrounded by a heavenly light  
  
Steven: We sure do, son.  
  
Allison: Now don't worry about Harris's death. You did the right thing sending him to hell!  
  
Josh: Gee, that's a nice way of putting it. But seriously, what should I do about the others? If that traitor gets out of jail, she's gonna go after them!  
  
Steven: Then maybe you should stay with them for a while and serve as their bodyguard and friend. After all they've done for you, they deserve a little reward.  
  
Allison: Speaking of which...  
  
Allison raises her hand towards the heavens and within seconds, a glimmering shine starts to form. Bringing her hand down, she reveals a set of 5 rings, each encrusted with a gem.  
  
Allison: These are a special gift for you and your pals. A way of saying thank you for taking care of our boy.  
  
Steven: As long as you all have those rings, you'll never be in any danger that you can't get out of.  
  
Allison gives the rings to Josh, who just stares at them and then at his parents  
  
Josh: Thank you...  
  
Steven: Don't thank US, boy. What you did was something that very few people have ever done before. We're so proud of you!  
  
Allison: And someday, when it's your time, you'll be able to join us up in paradise. Just like your new pals.  
  
Josh: (getting a little emotional) Mom.... Dad....  
  
Steven: Take care son, know that your parents are proud of you...  
  
Allison: Know that we'll always be by your side in your heart...  
  
Slowly the apparitions start to fade in front of Josh's eyes  
  
Josh: (tearful) I will... I will...  
  
Steven and Allison: Goodbye, son... We love you......  
  
With that, they disappear and all that's left is a cool chill from where they were sitting and a teary Josh Taylor  
  
Josh: Goodbye...  
  
Josh just looks at the rings in his hands and lets his tears fall freely  
  
Josh: I'll never forget you...  
  
As he buries his head in his hands and cries, the screen dissolves and comes back showing everyone but Mondo crying  
  
Jessie: (wailing) That's so beautiful!  
  
James: (sobbing) Truly a happy ending...  
  
Suddenly, the phone rings and Mondo, being the only one not in tears, picks it up  
  
Mondo: Uh, hello? (his puzzled expression turns to shock as he hears the person on the other end) Oh my god! Hold on!  
  
Mondo puts his hand on the receiver and muffles it as he reveals who's calling  
  
Mondo: It's our boss!  
  
This gets the tears to stop in a hurry!  
  
Jessie: (scared) T-the boss?!?  
  
Mondo: Yeah, he wants to get put on video phone.  
  
Meowth: Tell him to call the other number, that one doesn't get it!  
  
Mondo gives the boss the info and, soon after he hangs up, the video phone next to the computer starts to ring. This time, James answers it and the image of the boss's face pops up on the screen  
  
Jessie: Boss???  
  
The boss: Don't be so formal, agent Parker. Just call me Giovanni for the time being.  
  
James: Right, bo. Giovanni.  
  
Giovanni turns his attention to Josh, who's looking anxious as to what he has to say  
  
Giovanni: So... You're the one who saved agents Parker, Morgan, Meowth, and Hickok...  
  
Josh: That's right s...  
  
He stops and turns towards Mondo  
  
Josh: Your last name's Hickok? Is that why you signed the hospital form just Mondo?  
  
Mondo doesn't say anything, but gives him a rather rude look with his one good eye as Josh turns back to the screen  
  
Josh: That's right sir...  
  
Giovanni: I must say, I'm quite impressed. Though if you'd mind telling me how much damage they've suffered, I'll know if any of them need to be "retired".  
  
Josh: Well Me, Jessie and Meowth managed to suffer only a few bruises and mild dart wounds and were released soon after arrival. James had to stay in the hospital longer because one of his wounds was on his jugular vein and required a lot of patching up, hence the scarf. But Mondo suffered the worst, he had to get some major constructive surgery done to fix up the massive cuts to his face and his right cornea was so badly sliced that his whole eye had to be removed to prevent an infection from setting in.  
  
Mondo: However, I've got an eye transplant scheduled in two weeks. The hospital's even gonna pay the cost of the surgery!  
  
Giovanni: I see... But what about...  
  
Josh: Jessibelle's in jail for the time being, awaiting trial for charges of attempted murder.  
  
Giovanni: Ok, and Harris...  
  
Josh: Harris... is no more.  
  
Giovanni: I must say, I am impressed! In fact that's the reason I called...  
  
Josh: (puzzled) Um, could you explain?  
  
Giovanni: After hearing about how you protected my agents from being killed at the hands of those two lunatics, I want to offer you a position at team rocket.  
  
These words solicit a gasp from all 5 of the listeners  
  
Jessie: You mean... Make him an official member?  
  
Giovanni: That's right. I'll even let him choose a pokemon starter. So Josh, what do you say?  
  
Josh: It's a great honor sir, but before I make my decision, I have one request.  
  
Giovanni: Ok, what would that be?  
  
Josh: I want to be partnered up with Jessie, James, and Meowth. After all we've been through, I want to stay with them a little longer.  
  
Giovanni: (thinking it over) That sounds reasonable. Anything else?  
  
Josh: No sir.  
  
Giovanni: So does this mean you accept the offer?  
  
Josh: (taking a deep breath) Yes... yes, I do.  
  
This gets a cheer from his everyone, even Giovanni  
  
Giovanni: You made a wise choice. Your uniform and pokemon should arrive shortly. Speaking of which, what pokemon DO you want to start with?  
  
Josh thinks this over before turning his attention back to Giovanni  
  
Josh: Can I choose ANY kind of pokemon?  
  
Giovanni: Yes, within reason.  
  
Josh thinks back to the pokemon he used to love to battle his father with, especially his dad's favorite pokemon... He soon knows what pokemon to choose... the same one his father loved to battle with...  
  
Josh: I choose... a Hitmonchan.  
  
Giovanni: Ah, a good fighting type. I commend you on your wise selection.  
  
Josh: Thank you sir. I promise I won't let Team Rocket down.  
  
Giovanni: Well, see that you don't!  
  
With that, Giovanni's image disappears from the screen and Jessie, James, Meowth, and Mondo cheer excitedly for Josh  
  
Meowth: Congratulations, you're now with team rocket!  
  
Jessie: You've made a wis...  
  
Josh: I heard what the boss said, Jess, I know I made the right choice.  
  
James: But what about your parents, what would they think?  
  
As everyone, but Josh, glares at James he puts his hand behind his head, blushing  
  
James: I mean, it's not exactly what most heroes would do...  
  
Josh: James, my parents told me to protect you guys. If that means joining Team Rocket to do so, then so be it. That reminds me...  
  
Josh reaches into his pocket and pulls out the rings his mom gave him  
  
Josh: (holding the rings out) These are for each one of you, a way of saying thanks for helping me avenge my parent's deaths.  
  
Everyone just stares starry-eyed at the beautiful rings in Josh's hand  
  
Mondo: We... we can't  
  
Jessie: We didn't try to help you for a reward. We did it because we wanted to get back at Harris!  
  
Josh: Even so, you DID help me. So you deserve these rings...  
  
James: If you're sure... (takes a sapphire-encrusted ring)  
  
Mondo: Wouldn't want to be rude...(takes an emerald ring)  
  
Jessie: If you insist... (takes a ruby-studded ring)  
  
Meowth still looks hesitantly at the two other rings  
  
Josh: Meowth, c'mon. You earned this reward.  
  
Meowth: I know, but I just... I'm worried...  
  
James: About what???  
  
Meowth: If I take a ring, that would be like robbing from his parents graves...  
  
Josh: Meowth, they told me you had earned this. Trust me.  
  
Meowth: (still a little bit unsure) Well... (takes a golden ring)  
  
Josh then pockets the last ring, a jade-embedded one, and James heads into the kitchen to whip up a little lunch with Jessie and Mondo following him. But Meowth stays back and looks at Josh in worry  
  
Meowth: Josh, do you think we'll be safe from Jessibelle even WITH your protection?  
  
Josh just sighs and looks out the window at the sunny skies  
  
Josh: That's something even I don't know.  
  
Meowth stands next to him and looks out into the sky  
  
Meowth: You miss your parents, don't you?  
  
Josh: More than ever, Meowth. More than ever...  
  
Meowth: (detecting a hint of sorrow) You want some alone time?  
  
Josh: (not really paying attention) I guess...  
  
Meowth leaves the boy alone to let him just swim in his thoughts while Josh just continues to stare at the sky  
  
Josh: Thank you Mom, for everything...  
  
As he turns to head for the kitchen, Josh looks back at the clouds and smiles, knowing he's got a mission again in life, to protect his new friends from any dangers that come their way  
  
Josh: (whispered) Thank you...  
  
THE END 


End file.
